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Scuba Forum / General / July 2007Looking for suggestions on good places for open water PADI dive
Hi, I'm trying to get a couple of friends together (we live in different places) to get our PADI certificates then take our open water dive together someplace nice. Any tips / suggestions? We all live on the US East coast and are looking for a nice place to dive / relax (extended weekend) that won't break the bank. Thanks, Dave > I'm trying to get a couple of friends together (we live in different > places) to get our PADI certificates then take our open water dive > together someplace nice. Any tips / suggestions? We all live on the > US East coast and are looking for a nice place to dive / relax > (extended weekend) that won't break the bank. > Thanks, If you're on the east coast, it's hard to beat SE Florida for a relatively inexpensive place to dive. Lee > If you're on the east coast, it's hard to beat SE Florida for a relatively > inexpensive place to dive. Shhhh! He's one of those damn Virginia Yankees... I thought we were trying to *get rid* of all the Yankees in Florida, not bring more down here! > Shhhh! He's one of those damn Virginia Yankees... I thought we were > trying to *get rid* of all the Yankees in Florida, not bring more down > here! As long as he's really a Virginia Yankee, I'll take a chance on him. My fear is he's one of those liberal DC Yankees who, having ruined DC, lives in Virginia instead. You've got your nerve complaining about Yankees diving in Florida given that you're on your way to dive with someone that comes from even further north. Lee >> Shhhh! He's one of those damn Virginia Yankees... I thought we were >> trying to *get rid* of all the Yankees in Florida, not bring more down >> here! > As long as he's really a Virginia Yankee, I'll take a chance on him. My > fear is he's one of those liberal DC Yankees who, having ruined DC, lives > in Virginia instead. Um, Virginia was one of the Reb states, them West Virginians were the Yankees. > You've got your nerve complaining about Yankees diving in Florida given > that you're on your way to dive with someone that comes from even further > north. Hell, just a friendly Canadian who probably thinks we're ALL Yanks....... Curtis > Um, Virginia was one of the Reb states, them West Virginians were the > Yankees. If he's north of I-10, he's a Yankee... > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dave Given that the East Coast is something like 1600 miles from end to end, a bit more information about where the people live might prove helpful! -- John Eells On Jun 18, 1:13 pm, "djtop...@gmail.com" <djtop...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dave If you are considering Southeast Florida, I can help you from a referral perspective. I am a PADI instructor and can arrange and conduct your training dives in Destin Florida. Barring weather, open water dives would be done off Destin in the Gulf of Mexico via dive boat. Cursing times to most dive sites favored for dive training are a maximum 20-25 minutes from the harbor. During the summer, water temperature would be between 82 - 85 F. Depending on the schedule, dive part of the day, enjoy the beaches, food, and night life the rest of the day and evening. Just let me know. Greg Greg > On Jun 18, 1:13 pm, "djtop...@gmail.com" <djtop...@gmail.com> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > referral perspective. I am a PADI instructor and can arrange and > conduct your training dives in Destin Florida. Why would they go all the way to S. Florida for shitty gulf diving? I'll conduct the training dives in Boynton or Key Largo completely free, if they fly me out there first-class and put me up in a Starwood hotel of my choice (actually not a bad deal for a group, until they get my room service bill). > Barring weather, open > water dives would be done off Destin in the Gulf of Mexico via dive > boat. Cursing times to most dive sites favored for dive training are > a maximum 20-25 minutes from the harbor. Hell, if I paid good money to dive there, I'd be cursing all the way back too. On Jun 18, 2:13 pm, "djtop...@gmail.com" <djtop...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dave I say the hell with Fl come on down to Curacao! yes another disgusting plug from www.curacaosunshine.com. If your going to get on a plane anyway. No plane go to Hatteras on the Outer Banks of NC. Lodging is cheap BIG FISH and if it gets windy some great windsurfing! David "djtopper@gmail.com" <djtopper@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Hi, : [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] :US East coast and are looking for a nice place to dive / relax :(extended weekend) that won't break the bank. Here are the trip reports I have posted since I joined rec.scuba. http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/Trips/. You may get an idea or two. There is a trip report there about the Florida Keys. I just returned from another trip there. Consider Key Largo. Something else to consider is that there is more than one way to get a cert. The priciest, but potentially worth it approach is to do your lessons and pool near home and your open water cert dives in the tropics somewhere. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. >"djtopper@gmail.com" <djtopper@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard >resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >lessons and pool near home and your open water cert dives in the >tropics somewhere. Naw, if you want to do pricey, do what we did. Show up on Oahu and call the first shop in the phone book. We did our class room on the beach in front of Magic Island, did our confined water in the lagoon there and hopped into the water on the other side for our open water. Three full days. Back then PADI was a little slacker on their training regimen, ie "follow the book or die". Ain't dead yet. OP wants to do it in an extended weekend. I agree with the class/pool at home and then get together for the open water. But I almost feel like it would be a waste for a four day weekend. Fly in Thursday night. 2 OW dives Friday. Stay up until mignight drinking. 2 hungover OW dives Saturday. Stay up until mignight drinking. 2 very hungover boat dives (with requisite pukeing) on Sunday. Stay up until midnight drinking. Get sunburned on the beach Monday morning drinking a case of beer. Fly home Monday evening. Go to work Tuesday trying to figure out who wrote "whore" in sunscreen on your forehead. Actually, that sounds like fun. Except that I'd be the one doing the writing. >Dan Bracuk >If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > >----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- >http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups >----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----  Signaturedillon Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why. > >"djtop...@gmail.com" <djtop...@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard > >resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > Actually, that sounds like fun. Except that I'd be the one doing the > writing. It's the letters on yer bald spot that you can't see in the mirror that are really aggravating. JF Dillon Pyron <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why. Why? Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. >Dillon Pyron <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> pounded away at his >keyboard resulting in: > >:Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why. > >Why? They're a bunch of rip-offs. They sell at low prices, but if you want a mfr warranty, the price goes up $50-$100, which makes it the same price as everybody else. When you order online, the sale isn't set until you call, at which point you get the hard sell for more. They say bullshit like "the battery is only good for 20 minutes". Which is an outright lie unless they are replacing the standard battery. And when I tried to return the camera, I spent two hours on the phone with the "customer service" manager as he tried the hard sell. The more he talked, the angrier I got. I kept telling him "give me the RMA". He finally said he'd email it to me. Instead he sent me an email with an offer to reduce the price. Which pissed me off since I left work early to send the package back. I replied with a simple "where's my RMA?" Carol worked from home the next day. We finally got an email from him. No RMA, just a "better" deal. By this point we were so pissed we would have sent it back if it was free. But I called and got some clueless dweeb that didn't know he was supposed to hand me off to Gabe and I got my RMA. Now, here are two things. First, they have a 7 day return policy. But they have to have it back within 7 days of delivery. Second, they say 5% restocking fee. Minimum. I haven't found anyone who wasn't charged 15%. I found them at a site called www.shopcartusa.com. Best price, great reviews. After we got burned, I posted a negative review. Never showed up. It's a shill site. I did find www.resellerratings.com, which had a lot of people with similar comments. But the site isn't all negative. Good comments for some other merchants, like B&H Camera, which I've had good luck with in the past. I filed a complaint with the NYC BBB. Thursday I got an email from them that BWay was refunding the difference between 5% and 15%. Not as good as I would have liked, but better than being totally screwed over. They also operate by about a half dozen other names, like Prestige Photo. Someone said that they have every discount photo shop in Brooklyn. >Dan Bracuk >Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. > >----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- >http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups >----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- Signaturedillon Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why. > They also operate by about a half dozen other names, like Prestige > Photo. Someone said that they have every discount photo shop in > Brooklyn. I tried one of those. Came up on a shopping site offering an unbelievable price on a Nikon D200 (like $999), so I ordered one. What the heck? They called back to "confirm the order". We played phone tag for a while, no one else would talk to me about the order, until I talked with the one guy who originally called me (I forget his name) who gave me the BS spiel I had read about, that the $999 was for a "Chinese import", a "plastic" version of the D200. I told them there was no such thing, then asked to cancel the order just in case there really was. He hung up on me. I had to call back to find someone to confirm they did indeed cancel the order. Never charged my credit card. Interesting how they stay in business. I understood they all operated out of New Jersey. <snip-a-bunch-of-ny-camera-shop-complaints> For some reason, it seems that all (or nearly all) of the camera shops up in the NY / NJ area are like that... Here's something I did awhile back: http://grumman581.googlepages.com/camera-scam-stores > <snip-a-bunch-of-ny-camera-shop-complaints> > > For some reason, it seems that all (or nearly all) of the camera shops > up in the NY / NJ area are like that... New York City (Manhattan) has a world-class photo store, one that's almost as good, some mainstream chains, a bunch of small "Times Square" opportunistic shops that tend to rip off visiting tourists and ...unfortunately...a handful of really bad guys who have set up around a dozen rip-off websites that now account for probably 3/4's of NYC's web presence. What you typically find is that the same guy will be running 3 or 4 web stores and has 3 or 4 known addresses, etc. Seems that they're ripping off landlords of small storefronts too. My impression is that these guys mostly operate out of Brooklyn (one of NYC's five boroughs; the other four are Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island). >From <rec.photo.digital*> you would have found consumer warnings on a lot of these places, including a "see a photo of the scumbag's storefront" website that was built several years ago now: http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/ Here's "Broadway Photo" specifically: http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/h0006.htm And also of use for potential consumers: http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Broadway_Photo > Here's something I did awhile back: > > http://grumman581.googlepages.com/camera-scam-stores You list B&H Photo and Adorama and state "The following stores have retail stores and as such, I doubt that they run this sort of scam, but I have not attempted to buy from them and as such, I can make no personal recommendation for or against them." B&H and Adorama are the exceptions AFAIC. For B&H, I've used them for probably a decade now, with no complaint. I think I originally found them with a booth at the local scuba diving show (Beneath the Sea). Personally, I've probably spent $5K-10K over the years; professionally, I've spent another $20K-$30K more. I've also visited their brick-&-mortar store and can been downright impressed with how they run things. They're a couple of blocks from the Javitz convention center and since the owners are Orthodox, they're not open on Saturdays...as such, expect crowds on Sundays...go on a weekday if you can. For Adorama, I've never personally used them, but have heard repeatedly that they're B&H's only real competitor and the best place to go to if you need something quick and B&H is (somehow) out of stock. I did just happen to walk by their storefront two weeks ago (on June 23rd...they're also Orthodox-owned and closed on Saturdays) and can confirm that it exists. They're further downtown, not far from the Chelsea Market / Chelsea Pier (Piers 59-61) area. While I've not used them, I'm familiar enough with their reputation such that I would be willing to buy from them. -hh > > <snip-a-bunch-of-ny-camera-shop-complaints> > [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] > > -hh I've bought a lot of stuff from both B&H and Adorama. I have nothing bad to say about either except, of course, that there are a few things they don't carry, like the Inon line. But orders have always been correct, shipping has been on time, and on the one occasion I called to ask for clarification about something (Adorama), I was pleased and surprised to get someone knowledgeable enough about u/w photography to answer my question. No hard sell, either. Adorama has occasionally had something in stock tht B&H didn't have and vice versa. And their prices are sometimes a few dollars different. I always check both Web sites before placing an order. gc > > > <snip-a-bunch-of-ny-camera-shop-complaints> > [quoted text clipped - 68 lines] > and vice versa. And their prices are sometimes a few dollars > different. I always check both Web sites before placing an order. I'll me-too that. I've bought plenty of stuff from B&H, never had a problem. Items like the Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens that are never in stock, at least they're upfront about it on their website and don't even try to take backorder orders. I've only bought one item from Adorama, but it was an Ikelight strobe for about several hundred cheaper than my LDS's full-retail, and it shipped right away with absolutely no problems. > I've only bought one item from Adorama, but it was an Ikelight strobe > for about several hundred cheaper than my LDS's full-retail, and it > shipped right away with absolutely no problems. I have had excellent dealings with KEH camera as well. http://www.keh.com/ Unfortunately I bought an 8008S and an N90S new when they were new (you can buy cherry ones for 100 to $250 nowadays), and have added strobes and lenses since at great prices from KEH. Nothing but good to say about them. > ForB&H, I've used them for probably a decade now, with no complaint. > I think I originally found them with a booth at the local scuba diving [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > they're not open on Saturdays...as such, expect crowds on Sundays...go > on a weekday if you can. Thanks for your kind words. This is very gratifying. -- Henry Posner B&H Photo-Video, Inc. > Thanks for your kind words. This is very gratifying. > Henry Posner > B&H Photo-Video, Inc. I would say that you and your company have earned it, this is a tough room. > Thanks for your kind words. This is very gratifying. So, why are there so many camera scam stores in the NY/NJ area? Are the laws over there so screwed up that this sort of thing is *legal* or do they just pay off the cops and such to not prosecute them? http://grumman581.googlepages.com/camera-scam-stores >> Thanks for your kind words. This is very gratifying. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >http://grumman581.googlepages.com/camera-scam-stores I've filed a consumer fraud complaint with the NY AG. Andrew seems pretty happy with taking businesses to court. Signaturedillon Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why. >> ForB&H, I've used them for probably a decade now, with no complaint. >> I think I originally found them with a booth at the local scuba diving [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Thanks for your kind words. This is very gratifying. Henry, the part I kick myself about is that I've bought several pieces from B&H in the past. The problem is that their price wasn't "competitive" with Broadway. Unless you add the $75 for the Sony warranty. Another satisfied customer who has learned a bitter lesson. Signaturedillon Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why. ><snip-a-bunch-of-ny-camera-shop-complaints> > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >http://grumman581.googlepages.com/camera-scam-stores Grummy - As a NJ resident, I too concur with -hh in re: B & H and Adorama. Both have excellent reputations and I have had no problems with either. I have used both on occasion. B & H has a huge superstore right near NY Penn Station. Adorama is in Chelsea around 18th street. The prices for each are similar in many occasions with minor differences between the two on a given item. You just have to check both. Both have excellent shipping, delivery and customer service. For a while, I would not use B & H Photo as they did not offer USPS Priority Mail as a carrier option (thus allowing shipments to my PO Box), but after the last UPS strike, they added USPS mail and that has worked very well since. In case you need to call them for customer service, etc., be advised that they both follow an Orthodox Jewish calendar and are closed on Saturdays (and early on Fridays) as well as being completely closed during Passover etc. (which also affects order processing and shipping etc.). ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold > Grummy - As a NJ resident, I too concur with -hh in re: B & H and Adorama. Both have > excellent reputations and I have had no problems with either. I have used both on occasion. > > B & H has a huge superstore right near NY Penn Station. I'm more inclined to believe that a company that has a public storefront will be less likely to be a scam store like the other NY/NJ 'stores' that I reviewed... At the very least, you can go to their store and express your dissatisfaction with their service in a most upclose and personal manner... I knew that many of these companies were scams to start out with, so I used virtual credit card numbers and company specific email addresses on each so as to limit my exposure to their fraud... On Jul 8, 11:43 pm, Grumman-581 <grumman...@DIE-SPAMMER-SCUM- gmail.com> wrote: > <snip-a-bunch-of-ny-camera-shop-complaints> > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > http://grumman581.googlepages.com/camera-scam-stores Thanks for the info.... we were looking into getting a camera online... but have so far declined due to the need for other more important stuff... like charter dives and more gear. ;) :) ~K |
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